Saturday, March 7, 2009

Many of you, at one time or another, have used or at least seen the word zesty. Well I decided to do an image search for pictures that were in some way associated with zestiness, zest, or the word zesty. The results contained a lot of sauces and food items, but also some more random things. But, just so we're clear, here is the definition of zesty:

Friday, March 6, 2009

From athletes to actors, to politicians, a terrible epidemic is sweeping the ranks of the rich and famous. Just today actor Sean Penn came down with a terrible case of "suck." But, Penn is not alone. Alex Rodriguez (third baseman for the New York Yankees), along with his latest injury to both his hip and his reputation, has also come down with a severe bout of "suck." And, just a few months ago, Rod Blagojevich had a near cardiac arrest from "suck" and is now situated in an iron lung with feed tubes.

This epidemic is not new, and in fact has taken many casualties over the years. However, for as long as it has been around, no cure has been found. It tends to affect the unscrupulous (those without scruples), the corrupt, the stupid, and although seems to affect mostly the most visible in society, it is communicable to anyone. For instance, a couple months ago a girl who refused to go out with a friend of mine was struck down with "suck."

Some more famous people who have suffered from "suck" in the past, and may still be dealing with this life-altering disease are: Madonna, Paul Begala, Larry Craig, Cher, Osama Bin Laden, Nancy Pelosi, Tom Cruise, R. Kelly, Geraldo, Paris Hilton, and Oprah.

It tends to hit people at lulls in their careers, comebacks in their careers, or just every moment they spend fully conscious. It leads to horrible music and art for musicians and artists, ridiculously useless policy from politicians, and very bad movies and acting from directors and actors.

Here are some quotes from people suffering from suck:

"I kill myself for my body." - Cher

"Every month that we do not have an economic recovery package 500 million Americans lose their jobs." - Nancy Pelosi

"I didn't spend a lot of time on national security the American people will be glad to know." - Paul Begala

"I'm old, but I'm still cute and strong. And very butch" - Geraldo Rivera

"Every woman should have four pets in her life. A mink in her closet, a jaguar in her garage, a tiger in her bed, and a jackass who pays for everything." - Paris Hilton

"I think the longer I look good, the better gay men feel." - Cher

"Not only did I get an A in music but I got an A in ladies." - R. Kelly

"I'm learning English at the moment. I can say 'Big Ben', 'Hello Rodney', 'Tower Bridge' and 'Loo'." - Cher

"If I was a girl again, I would like to be like my fans, I would like to be like Madonna." - Madonna

"There are some cigarette burns in some funny places." - Sean Penn

"I don't really think, I just walk" - Paris Hilton

"I'm scared to death of being poor. It's like a fat girl who loses 500 pounds but is always fat inside. I grew up poor and will always feel poor inside. It's my pet paranoia" - Cher

"It's a, 'Bad boy, Bill Clinton. You're a naughty boy'... The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy, a naughty boy. I'm going to speak out for the citizens of my state, who in the majority think that Bill Clinton is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy." - Larry Craig

"I don't like being a voyeur, looking into other people's marriages." - Paul Begala

"I always thought I should be treated like a star." - Madonna

"I think of myself as Special Forces, clearing the path for the infantry." - Geraldo Rivera

"Wal-mart... do they like make walls there?" - Paris Hilton

For some there may still be hope, but for most, they are on life support. To help find a cure make checks out to "Stop Suck Now" and mail them to Sean Penn's fan club.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Have you ever found yourself unreasonably tired or restless? Do you find it difficult to sleep, or to even find time for sleep when you want it? Well worry no more. From the makers of 'good times in a box' comes something that will make all your sleeping problems go away. They call it 'Sleep in a Can.' It comes in 6 ounce, 8 ounce, and 12 ounce canisters along with a handy spray nozzle. It has been endorsed by the American Sleep Society (ASS) and got a five star rating from the Unique and Probably Not Real Invention Society. 'Sleep in a Can' also comes in different flavors: night terrors, nightmare, falling into an endless chasm, ponies and rainbows, you failed your math test, and yellow.

The six ounce can goes for about $5, the eight ounce for $7, and the twelve ounce for $10. The superpak goes for $40, but gives you a month's supply and saves you $2 a can. And the testimonials are resoundingly positive. John Ungerbrook, an insomniac from Raleigh, North Carolina, says:

"I don't remember life before sleep in a can. Seriously. I don't remember it. I think I was employed somewhere with people and stuff."

Randy Fitzburg of Pocatello, Idaho, had this to say:

"My favorite flavor is yellow. I can be driving down the interstate, listening to my wife talk about her day, or staring at my computer screen, then, I pop open my 'Sleep in a Can' and I'm wading in a sea of yellow. All the sounds are yellow. The cars and trees are yellow. My wife is yellow. My brain is yellow. I can actually see my yellow brain!"

Martina MacDraw from Ceder City, Iowa, says:

"I used to never sleep. My husband's snoring made me deaf in my left ear. But I bought the superpak of 'Sleep in a Can' and now my husband is losing his hearing from all of my snoring, along with all shrieking and yelling that I do. My favorite flavor is night terrors. My husband has even threatened to divorce me. I haven't been more rested in all my life."

To see more equally convincing endorsements go to www.sleepinacanforlife.com. But before you do, get yours today! Dial now! (559)123-4567! Operators are standing by to help you sleep.

***This product is highly addictive. It is not recommended for people with children (because you might be tempted to sell them into slavery to buy this product). It is also not recommended for pregnant women, fat men, people who look like ducks, unfashionable people, nerds, goobers, athletes, or anyone named Fred. Batteries not included.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

For some of you it is still defiantly winter. For others, it may be mid-summer. Well, for those of you who are like me, in a temperate climate in the northern hemisphere it's time to start getting in shape for swimsuit season. Of course, as you could have probably guessed, I recommend getting in shape all the time, but for those of you who need another motivator, think about white pasty blob fat flopping around over your swimsuit and hidden folds that haven't seen the light of day for months. Sick.

I came across the Butterfield Diet Plan. My brother and a friend of mine a religious followers. I hope you enjoy it.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

As we get seemingly closer to Iran every day with diplomacy under President Obama, I thought it fitting that I post this video. It is funnier when you put it into context. If you are gay in Iran they can execute you. And, since Mahmoud (as I will affectionately call him) uses a lot of fiery rhetoric against the US (the great Satan), homosexuals, and the Jews, I think this is very well done. It stars Andy Samberg and Adam Levine from Maroon 5, and of course, our dear friend Mahmoud (played by Fred Armisen).

I had to chuckle today (Yes, I was forced at gun point). I was looking at some of the stats for this blog and I ran down a list of all the languages people read this blog in. I find it amazing, and I don't know quite who would be responsible for translating this thing in so many languages. I guess google does it for me. Here is a list of the languages (some of which I know are distinguishable, others I don't quite get):

The ones I find most humorous are the US English versions versus the British English versions. Now I know I spell words like an American, and even use a lot of American events and colloquialisms as material, but how do they translate my blog into British English? When I say, "That's just right" do they translate it as "Spot on"? When I put a question mark inside the quotation do they push it to the outside? I'm curious. I think I'm going to start reading my blogs in British English. Then maybe I'll move on to Finnish. What pleases me is that I do seem to get more than just a few readers from outside the United States. I have regular readers in Java and Taiwan apparently, and plenty of French and British readers. I salute you all.

Oh, and while I'm pretty sure this is available in various Indian dialects, I haven't seen all that many Mumbai residents reading this. Pakistanis seem to like it though. I don't know what that means. But, at any rate, I wanted to share with you a list of colloquialisms I found online. And, I make this list in part because I think it would be hilarious translated into Mandarin or Swedish.

(This book is a must read)

My kitchen's so small, you can't swing a dead cat in there without getting fur in your mouth.

He has the attention span of a chicken on speed.

As busy as a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest...

So ugly he could back a dog off a meat wagon...

As shallow as a saucer

Lower than a duck's butt

As nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs

It's rainin' like a cow pissin' on a flat rock

Time to piss on the fire and call the dogs.

Busier than a cross-eyed cranberry picker.

Tighter than a camel’s ass in a sandstorm

That's slicker than snot on a doorknob!

Couple Sandwiches short of a picnic

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Doesn't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt.

Nosier than a mule in a tin shed.

Faster than a blind dog's tail in a meat market.

Trying to nail Jell-O to the wall

Quit running around like a fart in a bottle.

His eyes bugged out like a stomped on toad frog.

It'll work...Like a windshield wiper on a goat’s ass

(to have suffered diarrhea): "I've just spent tuppence in ha'pennies and farthings"

I'm hungry enough to eat the ass out a dead mule...

Slower than smoke off of a cool turd...

On Futility: It's like trying to herd cats.

Don't get your crank shaft all up in a two stroke!"

Quit your cryin'. You're gettin' the floor wet.

Elevators in the basement and the cords have been cut.

Obviously, you weren't spanked enough as a child.

Happier than a four-peckered goat.

Whatever blows your skirt up for ya

He's so clumsy he'd trip over a cordless phone.

He's about as handy as a back pocket on a shirt.

That's about as useful as a trap door on a canoe.

He couldn't carry a tune if he had a bucket with a lid on it.

She was so tall she could hunt geese with a rake.

She was so tall if she fell down she would be halfway home.

He was so fat it was easier to go over top of him than around him.

It happened faster than a knife fight in a phone booth.

NO!! I AM NOT FALLING ASLEEP!! I was just checking for holes in my eyelids.

I hope you enjoyed those. Although you may not think so, I did take out some of the more crass ones.

This clip is a great remix of a fabulously underused colloquialism.

And this is just funny. And, maybe it's how this blog gets translated into British English.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Here's probably one of the best songs you will hear today. I would argue ever. And, before I get too tangential, with some talk about chicken, hay, stimulus bills, or some the revenge of the nerds, I'm going to break it down. Now I do not profess to have anywhere near the ability of Bill Withers, but I want to assault your ability to read with a little abruptly disarming writing. I'm not a song writer, but my voice is not bad and I can play the cello, but, generally speaking that doesn't prove to be the best blog fodder. What does, at least for this blog, is satire, random issues, lists, crazy pictures, videos, and absurd pronouncements. Today I hope to quench that thirst for carefully articulated absurdity.

Today I will address several issues. Call it an omnibus post.

The first issue is how men and women speak. Yes it's hilarious to hear grown men who look huge say something, and then you realize they sound like they belong in the Vienna Boy's Choir. It is also equally disarming and scary (in a different way) to hear petite women with huge Bertha-esque pipes. But that is not the speaking I intend to speak (or write) about. No, I am going to talk about how men tend to be very visceral and detailed in their descriptions of women, while women tend to be very vague and purposely elusive when they describe men.

The reasons for this come down to differences in how men and women see, and are taught to see the world. When a woman describes a man, she tends to say, "He's cute," or, "He's nice," or something equally non-descript like, "He wears nice shirts." Now, this may not be the way all women describe every man, and indeed many women can be very descriptive, but on the whole, most of their vocalizations at least, tend to be mundane, and general. This is because women are taught to value men for their ambition, brains, wit, and things other than physical appearance (or, at the very least, pretend that that's all they care about).

The truth is, women are very concerned with looks as are men. But, maybe on the whole not so concerned as men. That has to do with our culture. Women are significantly more objectified than men. So men, on the other hand are extremely visceral (visually oriented) in their observations about women. A man will say uncouthly "She's got a tight butt," or "I like a woman with curves," or "Her lips are luscious." While some, if not all of these comments probably lack a great deal of tact in most situations, they are certainly more descriptive. And, although it certainly objectifies women, the men saying them are not entirely to blame.

In many instances, women have themselves to blame. Some can say they are driven to wear skimpy clothes by society and culture, and that it is too hard to find modest clothing that is fashionable, but when it comes down to it, it is a choice. However, and this may be where I raise the most ire, while I think men should be more careful with how they say things, I do not think they should be any less descriptive. And, on top of that I wish women were. While no one wants to be thoroughly diagnosed on his or her body image without any modicum of tact or censor (because we are in general fairly disparaging of ourselves without other people's help), being more to the point is nice.

For instance, if you've been working out at the gym for a while and have made noticeable improvements in your abdominal region or with your arms, legs or pectoral muscles, it is nice to feel legitimately validated. A guy is much more likely directly pin point another guy's calves and say, "Your calves are super toned, you're a beast," than a girl would be. So I guess if there's any lesson to be learned from this hopefully informative diagnosis, it is that men need to temper their descriptions a bit, and women need to be more descriptive. I don't care if he's "cute" "nice" or "fun." You haven't said anything about him.

Ok. Next issue.

Your versus you're. The first is a possessive pronoun. The second is a contraction combining the words 'you' and 'are.' Hopefully I am getting a resounding "duh" from those reading at this point. Unfortunately, while many may say "duh," even some of the smartest, and funniest people I know confuse the two, along with there, they're, and their, and all of those others. Now it's okay to flub up every now and then (the mafia will not kill you - right away anyway), but if it is a consistent problem I'm not about to blame public schools, although, I can.

When I see things written online like, "Your stupid" I laugh, wince, and then cry. I just cannot get over the irony. Here's a person making a declarative statement to in essence "put someone in their place" by calling them stupid, but in the same sentence, are sentencing themselves to the same stupidity. As soon as I see some response like that to anything I write online I really do not feel any need to respond. They have responded for me. But, as much as I relish in it, I really don't. It's painful. Like 'nails on a chalkboard,' 'passing a kidney stone,' 'having Jack Bauer torture me' painful.

And here's the last issue: Balloon animals, Babies, and cats. Why are they so funny?

Sunday, March 1, 2009

There is a common misconception that exists in our society. This misconception has gone too far, pushing some people to the brink of starvation and unemployment. You may have guessed it already. "Hay is for horses."

In fact according to recent Harvard study, hay is not just for horses. Hay is a fabulous source of fiber, is low in cost, and is widely available. For decades the hay industry has been stifled by this harmful myth of hay being 'just for horses.' Many within the industry believe it was an insidious lie promulgated by the makers of oatmeal like Quaker, and Carnation Instant Breakfast. Bill Turley, a hay farmer from western Pennsylvania has been trying to undercover what he calls "the hay hater conspiracy" for years.

"I'm just trying to make an honest living. I sew my fields, and reap them when they're ready. My hay is some of the finest you can buy, but for some reason people only want to buy it for their horses. Little do they know that sheep, goats, cattle, and even people can eat it too. Why, every morning I wake up to a steamy bowl of haymeal and radish drink. It's delicious. I might look like I'm 35, but I'm 72. It's all because of the hay. But no, those stupid oatmeal quakers have to shrink my market with the whole 'hay is for horses' campaign."

Mr. Turley has brought up his concerns before, even picketing by his town hall with signs strapped to himself and some of his farm animals. The signs are more clever than one might expect from a hay farmer. On his sheep the sign says, "Baaaaai like hay too." On his cows, taking from the Chick-Fil-a commercial campaign, is written "Eat more hay." But, his own sign is more direct with the inscription, "Eat haymeal for breakfast! Screw the Quakers." It might be easy to see why he has lost some supporters. Confused quakers who live next to his farm now refuse to do business with him. When he tried to explain they just threw instant oatmeal in his face.

"It's a tough rode I travel, but I believe deep down that one day hay will take its rightful place on the throne of whole grain foods," said Mr. Turley.

I think we can all agree that Mr. Turley's cause is a noble, but hard one. The misconception is so widespread that even his horses get ornery when he reaches in their feed bags for a handful of hayliciousness, even nipping him and stomping around their corrals in angst.

Self-Aggrandizing Photo

Michael Powers

About the Author

Michael Powers is a fairly cultured American with an eye for seriousness, but willing to entertain the occasional dabble into the surreal and the inane. His writing focuses on news, random stories, politics, and social issues with his own brand of cynicism, but always with a humorous or optimistic outlook.